At any Cost?
by thag-the-upset
Summary: Robotnik's ultimate plan finally comes to fruition. But rather than destroy Sonic, he chooses to robotisize him. How far will our blue hero go to save us all? And at what cost?


AT ANY COST?

Disclaimer: The Sonic Universe and its characters are the property of Sega, Sonic Team, Archie Comics and whoever the heck else properly owns them, but I'll tell you, it sure isn't me!

Disclaimer 2: I've posted some "M" rated stuff in the past before, some blood here, a curse word there, and crank up the rating just to be safe. But this fic, this tale truly warrants it. This is a stern, serious warning. This is easily the darkest tale I've woven yet, there will be blood, there will be suffering there will be swearing. If any of these offend or disturb you, please stop reading now. If you have the constitution to continue, then by all means, read on and enjoy...

The lasers and rays and bullets danced around me, a ballet of death and destruction as I advanced forward, easily avoiding every threat. Eggman was ahead, he always was... Somewhere past the robots, cannons and barricades the fat man sat, gloating.

It was the same old story every time, he would appear and threaten the world , I would rise to the challenge and stop him, and there would be a brief respite as he hatched his next plan...

But that was fine, he was never any threat to me, I was far too quick to fall victim to any attack he made. My friends grew stronger as they weathered the battles we fought, there to aid me in saving the world. And even the citizens of the planet had become jaded to Eggman's threats, knowing it would only be a matter of time before he was stopped again...

Dare I say it, it was all actually fun, what else could it be when the only real "threat" was always two steps behind?

I blitzed through a closing doorway, chuckling at the fiery waste that remained of Robotnik's army behind me.

"Welcome Sonic!"

I shook my head in disapproval. "Eggman, I swear, it's almost like you aren't even trying anymore."

The vile doctor grinned evilly. "Sonic, Sonic, Sonic... I always try nothing short of my best... The real key is knowing when I fight to win, and when I bide my time in a sacrifice... Like in chess, you see..."

I kicked my foot against the floor, standing ready to go. "You going to talk all day while I beat you again? Or does this little speech have a point?"

My enemy sighed. "It does, but my wisdom is wasted on the likes of you, it seems.." He drew a strange handgun from his side and slowly drew a bead on me.

Of course, I didn't flinch.

"So I will be brief." he continued. "All our battles, our struggles have all lead up to this point. Everything before now was nothing more than a series of tests, to gauge you, your abilities, and how to hurt you the most..."

My eyes remained tight on his trigger finger, while losing focus to scan the room we stood in, but I still didn't move, standing at the ready.

"And although you have passed every test, and given me a surplus of fascinating data. This day is the culmination of all that data. It all ends here... Or should I say, this is where it all begins?...

"Sonic...

"The...

"Hedgehog..."

The walls around me clicked softly, it was a verbal command! Jets of flames burst forth from the walls, surrounding me in a blazing inferno. The fire streams were slow, but massive, breaking through, even at my speed was not an option.

Dashing, leaping and flipping past the flames was no problem, what occurred to me though, was the fact that Eggman must've been escaping to a greater weapon as this little deathtrap slowed me down. With renewed effort and speed, I worked my way through the maze of fire to where Eggman was last standing, ready for whatever awaited me there...

And there he still was... Standing in the same spot , his weapon aimed at the only opening that I could use to reach him.

Such an obvious trap, he should know that by now I can easily boost through the air to change my trajectory, easily avoiding any attack, even in mid-air.

So I leapt through the tiny window of cool air, charging straight towards him.

He smiled with such cruel certainty, if I was anyone else, I would have paused, but instead I hurled myself to one side as he fired his beam at where I had been...

"Too slow, Egg-butt!" I called as I dropped down to his side, pready to swiftly kick him off his feet so I could disarm him, and it could all begin again...

Only I seemed to be falling slower than usual...

"Am I?" he replied through grit teeth of demented elation. He then moved his left hand around from behind his back, revealing a strange robotic gauntlet holding a glowing gem...

"No... that's not posssible!" I shouted as my toe began to touch the floor below me at last...

"Chaos..." Robotnik uttered between chuckles as I realized all too late why everything was moving so slowly...

"CONTROL!"

...and he was gone...

Before I could even think, much less scan my surroundings for where he had gone, I felt the searing pain in my back as I fell to the floor, my arms suddenly too heavy and weak to catch myself...

I fell flat on my face, my entire body felt like it was pierced with millions of flaming barbs, my blood flowed like burning tar, and although it was difficult to breathe, the air felt so cold, like it would freeze my lungs...

I lay there, suffering in the pain, too blinded by my suffering to even twitch.

This time, it was me who was two steps behind, and now I was paying the price for my pride.

Robotnik snapped his fingers behind me, and the sea of flames around me vanished, but my own inferno within my muscles raged onward. He cackled that familiar maniacal laugh...

"No sonic..." he finally said as he stepped around my limp body into my veiw. "You are not dying... Nor do I want you to die... yet."

He crouched down before me as he grasped the robotic hand that still gripped the Emerald.

"Now that I have your undivided attention... I will tell you why I knew I would win today, why when it all comes to a head, when all the chips are down, when it all boils down to this, that evil will always triumph over the forces of good...

"Because," He continued as he twisted his hand about. "While being a hero will make you strong, popular and a loyal collection of friends... You will always hold back, protect them and play it safe in the name of 'justice'...

"While those of us on the side of evil will strive, battle and do anything..." He grunted a little, and if I had the strength, I would have gasped in disbelief.

He pulled the robotic hand right off at the wrist, revealing a steel arm-cannon, proof of his madness. He had mutilated himself... all for the sake of being able to channel the Chaos Emeralds' energy?!

"...anything..." he continued as he began to chuckle again. "To win, to achieve victory..."

In a flash, the cannon erupted in green light, and bathed me in its glow, and although I don't know how I found the power...

I screamed...

The agony intensified a thousandfold, and flowed slowly upwards from the tips of my fingers and toes to my chest, leaving a blissful numbness behind it. Darkness spiraled around the edges of my vision, and I was already welcoming the release of death that I knew was coming...

And as the cool darkness consumed me, his last thoughts rang in my ears:

"...At any cost."

..........

The next thing I knew, I couldn't see, breathe, hear or anything.

But the pain had returned..

This time, it flowed down my body, from the top of my head down to my arms and legs.

Slowly my senses began to return and I howled in pain as soon as I was able, though my voice was hoarse and alien to me.

"Sonic!" a familiar voice called. I opened my eyes, only to be blinded by the light.

"Leave him be!" another voice commanded. "Its working..."

I continued to scream as, like a burning ooze, the sensation of agony flowed over me, until finally it was over, and I felt myself go limp, and the blinding light was replaced again by the darkness, though this time I could not lose consciousness, much I would have welcomed sleep, my body was exhausted from the torture...

All was quiet for a while, then the first voice finally spoke again.

"Sonic...?"

My body throbbed in pain as I hung limply from bindings over my wrists and ankles, but my mind, finally free of the pain began to think clearly again...

"Tails?" I barely whispered.

I suddenly felt his arms around my waist, and though I clenched my teeth at the pain his touch brought, the knowledge that he was here made the pain duller.

"It worked It worked" Tails shouted. While the second voice only scoffed slightly.

I opened my eyes again with great effort, and though my eyes were blurred with tears and a lack of light, I still recognized the orange blur that was hugging me.

"Hey buddy," I weakly muttered. "Any chance a guy can get a chili dog around here?... I'm starving..."

Tails' big blue eyes, full of tears, looked up at me. "Sonic.... you don't...?"

"He's back." The second voice I now recognized as Shadow said from the surrounding darkness. "Remember your part of the bargain, I'm going out to secure the perimeter..."

"Back?" I asked weakly. "Where... did I go?"

Tails looked at his feet and said nothing.

"Tell him!" Shadow barked as his footsteps lead farther and farther away.

Tails shied away a little at the sound of his voice before moving behind me and placing a helmet on my head.

"Tails?" I asked, my voice finally starting to clear and sound more like myself.

"I'm sorry Sonic," he replied, and even though he was behind me, I could tell from his voice that he was already crying again. "But I promised Shadow..."

Machinery whirred and clicked behind me as Tails fiddled with his gadgets. Suddenly, my vision when all black again before countless letters and numbers flew by...

"MEMORY FILE: 01639, PLAYBACK:" flashed before me and the characters behind it began to fade into the darkness.

I was running through the city streets.... Seemed like just another day...

But then a voice inside my head spoke softly, yet clear enough to fill my thoughts...

"Speed is holding steady at 146%," Robotnik... "Very good, you are swiftly approaching the target, execute protocol 592 upon arrival."

I began to recognize the surrounding buildings as they flew by, and it became clear where I was going, and despite my strength slowly returning, I could only barely croak out...

"No..... Amy...."

Sure enough, I found myself decelerating before a familiar pink house.

I saw my hand, glistening with a metallic sheen grip the door handle and with no effort tear it off its hinges and bolted inside.

She was right inside, working at her computer, the sound of my entry startling her.

But she couldn't turn fast enough...

With speed surpassing even my own, I closed the short gap between us and slammed her head into the monitor, blood, glass and sparks flying outward.

My hand swiftly clenched about her throat, and as I watched in horror, I began to throttle the life from her.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Robotnik's voice commanded. "Not so easily, she needs to suffer.... they ALL do..."

I hurled her across the small room, and she fell to the floor, gasping for breath.

Her eyes remained closed in pain and fear, yet between gasps she found her voice.

"I don't know why Robotnik sent you... I swear... Whatever you do, Sonic will..."

She stopped, as her eyes, filled with tears, blood and horror finally opened...

"No.... Son-"

And suddenly I was at her side. I wanted to reach down, to help her, to save her...

Yet instead, I kicked her belly, lifter her limp form into the air before clamping my left hand over her mouth, and my right ruthlessly barraging her body with countless punches...

"No, stop.... stop it! Tails, turn it off.... MAKE IT STOP!" I screamed. I thrashed and struggled against my restraints, I shut my eyes, yet the images flowed on through my mind, I couldn't escape the vison any more than Amy could her assailant...

She screamed and wailed through the metal hand as her body struggled less and less to free itself...

Finally, as she seemed unable to take any more, the blows ceased, and the right hand pointed and began to spin, like a drill.

Her eyes, though swollen and blurred with tears, widened in terror, and she struggled with renewed effort, though it was all to clear she had no hope of escape...

Her voice screeched as the drill pierced the flesh of her forehead, causing a spinning fountain of blood to flow...

"NO! GODDAMNIT, NO! AMY!!!"

The arm then thrust forward with terrible speed, her body shook and her eyes grew bleak and rolled back into her head...

And finally, only then, did the arm let go, and her body fell into a heap on the floor...

Robotnik's voice cackled from within, "Excellent.... yes, excellent work...."

And as the pool of her blood flowed and spread across the tiled floor, I saw it there in the red liquid, a vision that would haunt me every night from then on...

My reflection...

"...Metal Sonic!" Robotnik finished his sentance.

Finally, the merciful blackness returned, and I could feel Tails remove the device from my head. "Sonic..."

I opened my eyes, but he was merely an orange blur through all the tears that wouldn't stop.

It was me.... I had done it....

I killed her...

So much flooded my mind and heart, so much I had to say, so many feelings of despair filling my soul, yet... I didn't know what to say...

So I screamed.

I screamed and wailed as I shook at my bindings with furious vigor, feeling them rattle and loosen as I fought to free myself...

Tails only turned away, overcome himself.

I wanted to calm down, to control myself, but the fury, the fear, the hopelessness gripped my body and soul and I kept screaming till my voice grew hoarse.

The rack that held me in place shattered, and I fell to all fours, trembling with a terrible weakness, yet a blinding strength all at once

I slammed my fists on the floor cracking and denting it, the pain of my hands as they began to bleed with the impacts nothing in comparison to the sensations of my very soul and psyche shattering within myself.

I finally stopped, my body shivering in a cold sweat as I gasped for breath, my throat raw from my cries of despair.

"It's just us three now..." Tails finally said after a long silence. "Me... Shadow.... and now we got you back..."

"Why..." my voice cracked.

"Robotnik is a monster, who knows wh-"

"WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?!" I shouted. "Knuckles, Rouge.... Amy.... They're dead... THEY'RE FUCKING DEAD BECAUSE OF ME!"

In the possession of a madness I had never know before, I felt the loss of control, the feeling that I had to strike out... That I had to control something... anything...

...Even the life of a friend...

In nowhere near my right mind, I crashed into Tails, and held him tight against the wall. "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST FUCKING STOP ME?! WHY DIDN'T YOU KILL ME?!"

I heard the movement behind me, but it was too swift for me to react, and Shadow kicked me away.

I leapt up, eager to fight, to unleash the pain and anger from within...

But I stopped....

For the first time I saw him clearly. His left arm was in a splint, and his right eye was scarred shut...

"I wanted to." Shadow stated plainly. "But your friend the genius here thought it'd be better to turn you back to flesh and blood..."

I collapsed into a pile of sobs, gripping my head as I curled into a fetal position.

I then felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and looked up into Tails' eyes, red from the tears that had long since been cried out. "I still do..."

"Why?" I wimpered again.

"Because," He replied as he reached behind him. "Even in the darkest of hours..." The pulled out a Chaos Emerald. "Hope will always shine... You taught me that Sonic..."

"Tails believes," Shadow said with noticeable disgust, "that by bringing you back, you can use the powers of the emeralds to actually surpass light speed, go back, and stop all this from happening."

"..."

The next two weeks were the emptiest I'd ever lived...

I barely ate, I slept even less...

And I ran...

Apparently, in the three months I was under Robotnik's control, his megalomaniacal dreams of world domination were achieved...

With his greatest opponent now his strongest weapon, Robotnik's forces had made short work of the world's governments, and the former heroes of the world were quickly executed and branded as outlaws....

Once heroes...

Then a small resistance...

Now forced into hiding for survival...

Every night, between his otherwise constant patrols, Shadow would race and spar with me, monitoring my progress while Tails worked endlessly on his calculations and theories.

I don't even remember what day it was... When hiding all day and night, same routine day in and out, the days blur together.

Shadow stood before me, panting.

It had been the first time I had managed to keep up with him...

"Remember OUR deal..." I snapped at him between breaths. "I caught you, now you have to spill it..."

He stared at me with grit teeth, more stunned than I at my recovery from the robotization.

"Why didn't YOU go?" I continued. "You were as fast as I was, you can channel the Chaos energy like me-"

"I did..." He interrupted. "After Knuckles tried to subdue you... Unsuccessfully, I may add..."

I clenched my fists, the visions of what I had done to Amy surging through my mind. But I held my tongue...

He chuckled with malice at my reaction, but continued. "Tails, Rouge and I attempted the same plan you're training for now, you were considered a lost cause." He looked up to the ceiling in thought. "Rouge volunteered to play decoy and distract you while I ran... All my speed before paled in comparison to that day..." It was his turn to clench his fists at the thought. "Before you could kill her though, Robotnik figured out what we were doing. And sent you to stop me..."

He tapped the left side of his chest, and an eerie metallic sound rang though the air.

"With the last of her strength," he continued, his voice low with rage. "Rouge saved me, bringing your attention back to her, since I was in no condition to ever attempt this again. As you continued to murder her, I took my chance to strike you down with all the power I had left..."

We stood there in silence for some time before he finally turned around to head back out.

"Well," I snarled at him. How could he not realize I hated myself for all I did more than he ever could? "Why didn't you just kill me then? If I was a 'lost cause' and all..."

He stopped, but didn't turn around. "Because, with her last blood-choked breath, Rouge asked me to save you."

Before I could think of what I could possibly say the room filled with flashing red light, and Tails' voice came though the walls:

"We've been discovered! If we're gonna do it, it's now or never!"

"Shit..." Shadow muttered to himself before addressing Tails' speakers. "He's not ready yet!"

I placed my hand on his shoulder and turned him to face me. "Looks like we have no choice," I said with an empty grin. "So I'll just have to get ready on the way..."

He stared into my eyes before shrugging my hand off his shoulder. "Just don't make me regret listening to Rouge."

And then he was gone...

"I won't..." I whispered before turning to Tails' Lab.

I opened the door to find Tails, looking quite aged from his constant work, holding the seven Chaos Emeralds.

"Just two things," He said before I could speak. "Do NOT come into contact with a past version of yourself. A paradox of that magnitude... No telling what may happen..."

I took the seven Emeralds from him and held them close, their warmth and power strangely comforting in this dark hour.

"And the second thing?" I asked.

Tails turned from me to man a computer. "You can't slow down... If you decelerate, even a little bit..." His voice trailed off.

"... I gotcha..." I said.

"Good luck Sonic," He replied over his shoulder. "To you, and therefore, to all of us..."

"Yeah" I flashed him a thumbs-up. "I know you may not but... I'll see you soon..."

And before my composure could break into obvious uncertainty, I turned.

And I ran...

I bolted out at a frantic pace, not even turning to watch the world fly by me.

In no time I was at the battlefield. Robots, larger and far more numerous than any I had ever seen marched mindlessly forward as Shadow bolted about, shattering opponent after opponent.

I could feel the drag of the wind as I zipped through, hearing the crunching of metal as tanks, robots and gunships crashed in the wake of my speed.

I kept going. As the world spun below me, buildings, robots and wreckage flew from my sight. The roar of the wind resistance the only sound I could hear besides my heartbeat.

I soon felt my muscles begin to ache with the effort, as I reached my natural limit, I leapt up into the air and flung the Emeralds ahead of me, causing them to shine and spin in the formation of a circular gate.

As I soared through the ring of colored light, all that was blurry became clear, everything around me seemed to slow, and the energy of Chaos filled my body and soul.

I willed myself forward, my feet not even touching the ground as I flew ever faster, as I felt the presence of the Emeralds hovering behind me, pushing me ahead.

'Its not enough...'

As I pushed myself onward, I forced my right leg forward, the drag of the air like a million needles on my skin.

Once fully extended, I put it down to the speeding ground below me...

And I pushed...

My vision blurred around the edges as I forced myself faster than ever before.

Then the left foot...

Extended....

Touched down...

And pushed...

Then the right, then left, then right, then left...

'Faster.... FASTER!'

With every ounce of power I could muster, I found myself pumping my legs, like I was running for the first time all over again...

As my vision blurred further and further inward, the world suddenly fell silent and the sound barrier shattered around me.

The wind tore at my flesh as I pushed myself faster and faster.

And without a thought, the Emeralds were suddenly before me, a swirl of multicolored light and I could suddenly feel it, the absence of wind as the vortex they caused forced air around me, leaving me in a vacuum in their wake.

I could seen nothing but the blur of the world around me now, but even that quickly faded, oddly not into darkness, but a blinding whiteness as the light hit my eyes faster than my mind could process it. I closed my eyes, yet the light shone through my lids...

Suddenly, I felt a resistance, and as Tails' warning echoed in my mind, I had to push myself to my maximum just to keep the pace I was at. My skin tingled, numb form the burning heat of the light, yet freezing from the absence of air. I pushed and I pushed... but I could only hold the speed I was at. This unknown force barring any progress.

'No.... NO! This CAN'T be all I can do... It's just NOT ENOUGH!'

Before I knew what I was doing, I felt the wall push against my right arm as I forced it forward, drawn, compelled to reach for the Emeralds I still felt with my mind, less than a foot ahead of me.

'The Emeralds, yes... of course... that HAS to be it!'

Inch by inch, I extended my arm toward the barrier the Emeralds had made.

My fingertips suddenly seared with pain as they pushed through, but I couldn't afford to shy away from the pain.. Not now... Not when everything I ever cherished was on the line.

I opened my mouth, and my lungs seemed to freeze as the bitter cold void about me rushed in. And as I felt it, my power, long since at its peak was about to weaken, somehow, through the lack of air, of anything, of sound, I still managed to hear it as I roared out to the world...

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Suddenly everything seemed to shatter. And there was nothing. No pain, no wind, not even no sense of my own body as everything seemed to fall away from me, or my consciousness seemed to rise up out of myself...

I saw nothing, I felt nothing, I heard nothing...

And yet, I knew I wasn't alone...

_..._

_Who's there?_

_Does it matter?_

_..._

_You, Sonic, tread on far more dangerous ground than you could ever know..._

_Whoever, or whatever you are, I don't care, do what you will to me, I have done terrible wrongs, and I will fix them. I will do whatever it takes to make things right!_

_...At any cost?_

_...!?_

_You mean to transcend time itself, to do that which, in all of creation up to this point, no mortal has ever done. You wish for more than mere mortality could ever hope to provide, yet you know, in your heart, that it is your very same mortality that makes you and all you hold dear so special..._

_..._

_Would you really, in all honestly be willing to throw away all you... in essence ARE... For the mere sake of saving your friends? To alter the flow of time itself? To, in a manner of speaking... become a God?_

_..._

_..._

Suddenly, I was falling, down, down, ever downward, the sensation of gravity all that I knew...

'No, not after all that has happened...

'I can't fail... Not now...

'Not when I'm so CLOSE... not until I stop Robotnik!'

The falling suddenly stopped and I could feel a warm, yet dim light...

No... it was like...

I WAS the light!

And with that realization, the light swelled, blazed and exploded.

My body was so heavy and sore...

... My body?!

I opened my eyes.

"I remember this place," I muttered.

It was Robotnik's base, some 3 weeks before he had captured me. We were at the end of our previous struggle...

"... I... I did it..." I gasped as my strength returned to me.

"Yes..."

My head spun to the source of the voice.

There, in his usual uniform, charred and torn though it was, stood Robotnik.

"You have foiled my plans once again..." He continued. "And now, now you will take me to the authorities, once again." He heaved a little sigh. That is why you've come back right?" He pointed to a wall where I remember I had crashed through after my last victory.

"... Wrong..." I growled as memories all too fresh to me, yet unknown to the rest of the world in this time, filled my mind, heart and soul with a fury I had never known..

"Wrong?" Robotnik repeated quizzically. Why then did you-"

I rushed up to him in a flash, and kicked his head, knocking him down to the ground. No witty quips, no mocking, no prolonging his suffering. Much as I felt it, the terrible sickening desire to beat him within an inch of his life and laugh wickedly as he begged for mercy, it wasn't important enough to matter...

Only one thing mattered as I leapt up into the air, with my fists clenched above my head.

His death... the end... Saving everyone... that was all that mattered...

All I had done, all the sacrifices that had been made were all up to the culmination of this very moment. And I would make it all end here.

At any... cost...

"At any cost"

"At any cost"

"At any cost"

"At any cost"

"At any cost"

"At any cost"

His voice... damn his voice to hell, it wouldn't stop ringing in my head as I fell towards him!

The deafening crash as my fists slammed down echoed through the room and my mind, drowning out everything, every thought, every emotion.

"You...." I finally gasped out... "Were right..."

Robotnik's clenched-shut eyes warily opened to see me hunched over him, my fists denting the metal floor on either side of his head...

"I will always hold back... I WILL always act in the name of justice..."

I slowly stood up and turned my back on him.

"And I will NOT EVER sink to your level..."

I jumped backward and swiftly kicked his head again, only hard enough to knock him out.

"And although I won't sacrifice everything to get what I want... I'll still be there... To stop you... Every time..."

Although I could not.... or would not kill him... It was still clear to me what I had to do...

... And I was there... The familiar Pink house...

A whoosh and a crash tore through the still air and without another thought I charged through the wall, knocking a large section of it loose, and crashing it into the far wall, my foe sandwiched between the two.

"Sonic?!" Amy cried out from her computer chair. "What the hell are you..."

"RUN!" I shouted. "There's no time to explain, but everything hinges on this, you have to RUN!"

The gravity, the seriousness, and the fury in my eyes was all she needed to realize it was true, and she ran out hole I had made.

A dull hum sounded from the wall and I leapt backwards as Metal Sonic burst through the wood, metal and plaster I had held him with.

"I don't know..." I said "what will or won't happen here.

"But I don't care..."

Metal Sonic seemed to quickly recover from the confusion of seeing me and charged towards me.

"All that matters is that I don't hurt any one else, that I stop us..."

And I too ran towards him.

"... AT ANY COST!!!"

THE END


End file.
